With More Patients Leaving the ED Without Being Seen, Urgent Care Has to Keep on Its Game

Last year saw more patients leave emergency rooms without being seen than ever before, according to research published by JAMA Network Open. Per data collected between 2017 and 2021 from between 365 and 1,769 hospital EDs (it varied by year), the rate of patients who left the ED without being seen jumped from 1.1% to 2.1% in the United States. While their destination upon leaving the ED was not part of the study, it’s reasonable to assume they either went home or sought care in an urgent care center or other walk-insetting. Given that urgent care’s “brand” has been built on efficient access to excellent care, it’s essential to ensure that every patient’s experience delivers on that. JUCM published an article that could be helpful in evaluating how you’re doing in that regard. You can read Smoothing Ebb-and-Flow for Greater Staff Efficiency and Shorter Wait Times in Urgent Care in our archive right now.